Charrmed afterward
by emaline5678
Summary: This what I think may have been Piper and Leo's thoughts after the Charrmed episode in season seven. Starts off with Piper's thoughts after she watches Leo and the kids sleeping soundly in bed. Angsty, yet hopeful.


"Charmed" Fan Fiction

The Aftermath of Betrayal

By Emaline5678

_Set after the scene in "Charrrmed" when an Elder visits Piper to warn her about a looming threat and to tell her to support Leo. She watches her husband asleep on the bed with their sons tucked under his arms. Mainly Piper and Leo._

_ P.S. I do not own "Charmed" or any of its characters. If I did the show would still be on with rockin' storylines. This is just my salute to the show, so thanks to Spelling, Kern and Burge for giving us such a great universe to play with. Cheers!_

Piper Halliwell warily closed her bedroom door and turned to back to face her family. In the darkened room, her sons, Wyatt and Chris, slept tucked under the arms of her husband, Leo. Her soul mate, best friend and Elder was sound asleep – his face finally finding peace.

Earlier another Elder had visited Piper to warn her about a great evil on the horizon. Right, like she was in the mood for more vague threats. That Elder had orbs to show up at her home anyway. After what they had done to her, her sons and Leo – she wasn't exactly in the mood for helping Them anytime soon.

Crossing her arms across her chest, Piper moved to sit on the sofa by the bedroom window. It had been a tough year and a half for her family. She had lost Leo to the Elders, only to have him again after learning from their future son, Chris, that a demon was after Wyatt. It had hurt her heart to see Leo so close – she had pushed him away over and over again to protect her heart. How could she take back the man who had abandoned her and their son? Yet, seeing him fight for Wyatt, her sisters – even adult Chris – had thawed Piper's heart. That thaw had even led to the birth of baby Chris. Their hearts had been inching closer and closer together – Piper had begun to physically ache to be with Leo again.

Then Gideon had entered their lives. He was another Elder, a mentor and friend of Leo's, who had taken it upon himself to kidnap and attempt to kill Wyatt for the Greater Good. He had gotten it in his twisted head that Wyatt would only grow to be a great evil, so killing him was the best solution for all – never mind the fact that other people were involved. Unfortunately, the Halliwell witches learned too late what Gideon wanted. He had managed to get his slimy hands on Wyatt, but murdered adult Chris in the process.

Piper's heart still stung at the murder of her son. She had moved on from that tragic moment since they still had Chris with them. She and Leo would get a second chance to raise him, know him, love him. At least they would if Leo could find his way again.

Leo had saved them all by killing Gideon, but at what cost to his sanity? Over the past few months, Leo had ravaged the earth bent on revenge for Chris, Wyatt, Gideon – everything that had betrayed him. Hate and anger had started to eat up his soul – that sweet, pure good soul that had helped hundreds over the years. In the process, he lost his way – and was tricked into killing another Elder by the demon, Barbas. Now, her husband didn't know what road to take to feel sane again. He didn't even want to be around their children, for fear of hurting them – hurting her somehow.

Sighing, Piper stood and unconsciously moved closer to the bed. Tears sparkled in her brown eyes as she looked at her family – as she simply loved them. She hated the Elders for torturing Leo – she wanted him home more than anything. The visiting Elder's words suddenly came back to her – she couldn't – no – wouldn't give up on the man she loved. After so many agonizing months apart, she knew she loved him with all her heart. There was no way she would let him go now. Leo had protected them all for years, now it was her turn to protect him – if he would only let her.

Ever so gently, she sat on the soft bed mattress. Gingerly, she picked up Wyatt. He stirred slightly in his sleep, but fell under again instantly. She hadn't seen him sleep so soundly in months either. Perhaps it was the fact that he was finally with his father for more than a few minutes that gave him peace. Piper wished he – they – could have that feeling every day.

Leaning over Leo, Piper checked on Chris as his small chest rose and fell in sleep. Smiling, she suddenly curled up beside Leo, laying her head and arm across his chest. His breath stopped for a moment and he murmured something – but then was still again. Placing Wyatt in between her and Leo, she closed her eyes to listen to her husband's heartbeat.

"Please, come back home to us, Leo," she murmured, willing him to stop running in circles as he chased his inner demons. "We need you. I – I need you. I love you too much to give up on you now. Please, baby, come home."

As her thoughts drifted into sleep, Piper moved to wrap her arms tighter around Wyatt and Leo. She couldn't take his journey for him, she could only love and support him. She hoped and prayed he'd come back to them – or she'd go into hell itself to save his soul.

A few hours later, Leo groggily opened his green eyes. Darkness filled his and Piper's bedroom. How long had he been out? He didn't remember the last tiem he had slept without the dreams – the nightmares of Gideon, Barbas, Chris's death – hell itself. If he had had one more sleepless night, he would have seriously begun smashing his head through walls. It wasn't the first time he thought he was losing his mind. He had told Piper earlier that he had begun hearing voices – seeing things. He knew she didn't quite believe him and he was afraid to tell her the complete truth – to tell her how close to the edge of madness he had walked over the last few months after Chris's death and Gideon's betrayal.

Suddenly, he felt a heavy weight on his chest. The old panic and fear suddenly came roaring back into his heart like a bonfire blaze. Piper! What if she hadn't come home yet? What if something had happened to her? Or the boys? What if she didn't come back – and he had to raise the boys alone…the thought made his throat clench in fear. Where were the boys? Before Leo could completely panic, he recognized the familiar dark head of hair that rested on his chest.

"Piper," he breathed, surprised, relieved and grateful that she was near him. They had been apart for so many months, he was beginning to think he'd never have a normal family life – a normal marriage again. Now, here she was, sleeping with her arms wrapped around him, their children nestled around him. They were protecting him from their sleep – he could practically taste the love that was rolling off of them in waves.

Leaning back, he gently caressed Piper's hair, running his fingers through it's silky softness, tears glistening in his haunted eyes. He had been _this_ close to happiness again after sacrificing himself to the Elders for the Greater Good of all. When he had learned Piper was pregnant with Chris, he had even seriously begun to consider clipping his wings for good – giving it all up to have the family he cared passionately about. Then Gideon had betrayed them all by kidnapping Wyatt…and…and killing adult Chris. He cursed Them bitterly for almost costing him his family again.

Leo's hand moved to tender caress his wife's back, praying he didn't wake her. She loved him, he knew, but how could he fully come back to her – and their children? He didn't even know who he _was_ anymore. He had fought so hard for the Great Good for the last 60 years as a whitelighter and as an Elder. Then, suddenly, the death of Wyatt, his son, was for the Greater Good. How could he have faith in a cause that encouraged the murder of his own child?

Guilt, vengeance, anger and hate had confused Leo for months. He was lost and he knew had to find his own way sane again. He _had_ to, to come back to Piper and their boys. He _had_ to. Yet, what if couldn't find the way? What if he never felt sane and good again? Worse, what if in the process he hurt Piper, their sons or her sisters? What if someone else died? It all made his heart clench in panic at the thought.

He ached to be whole again. He ached to be with Piper everyday – to hold her in his arms, to kiss her soft lips – without the fear that somehow he'd hurt her. She was his soul mate, he knew – he couldn't lose her. He would die if he did – in fact, he almost did all those months ago when she locked him out of her heart when he became an Elder. He just didn't know how to hold her without fear of hurting her.

"I love you, Piper. Thank you for loving me," he murmured as his troubled thoughts drifted again into thankful dreams of nothingness. Yet, before he totally drifted off, he thought he sensed Piper tighten her grip on him once more, as if to anchor him to down to reality.


End file.
